Boys' basketball: Charlevoix outguns Gaylord for first win

December 23, 2009

GAYLORD — It was the kind of game that might have Charlevoix coach Keith Haske sporting a couple new gray hairs this morning.

Keegan LaBlance made a 3-pointer with under two minutes remaining and was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line in the final minute as the Rayders held off Gaylord, 89-84, Tuesday for their first boys’ basketball victory of the season.

The Rayders, 1-2, led by 10 points at the half and they remained up by 10 until Gaylord mounted a comeback with about four minutes remaining.

The Blue Devils took a two-point lead before an Andrew Plude 3-pointer put Charlevoix back in front for good.

“It was a real uptempo game that went back-and-forth there at the end,” Haske said.

LaBlance had a team-high 23 points, while Dylan Putman added 16, and Plude and Ben Meyers added 10 apiece. Casey Helstrom collected eight rebounds while Meyers led the Rayders with six assists.

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Kevin Dutcher led the Blue Devils with 27 points.

Offense has increasingly improved for the Rayders, whose 89 points was a season high. They are averaging 70-plus points through their first three games, but are allowing more than 84.

The Rayders square off against longtime rival Traverse City St. Francis in the Rayders’ Lake Michigan Conference opener on Saturday.

“We gave up way too many easy baskets,” Haske said. “I thought (Gaylord) shot well, but we’ve just been giving up too many easy points.”

Saturday’s game is a varsity doubleheader with the girls’ contest beginning at 6 p.m. followed by the boys.’

Gaylord won the JV game, 48-46. Andrew Potter had 16 points and Colby Herriman added nine for the Rayders.

Pellston’s Jake Freed made two pressure-packed free throws with 3 seconds remaining for the final margin.

“Big win,” Pellston coach Cliff Hass said. “They were conference champs last year, and I picked them as the conference favorite (this year). We got great contributions from everyone. Everybody contributed, all nine guys.

Harbor Light led, 35-18, at halftime, then saw the Lancers creep within seven, 46-39, entering the fourth quarter. Cook hit the first of his two four-quarter 3-pointers to re-up Harbor Light’s lead to 10, 49-39, and the Swordsmen took control from there.

Cook, Andrew Fila and Cole combined to make four 3-pointers in the final stanza.